


Proof of Life

by MioyatThePineapple



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Bittersweet, Chrobin isn't the main focus but, Gen, I didn't tag one thing, I mean I don't think it's thaaat, I'm not too good at writing, Sad, Tragedy, Tread Carefully, at times I guess, because of spoilers - Freeform, but with a not very happy ending ):, but you never know, i guess, is a better term, ish, it gets kind of, its kind of part of the story so, sad stuff, so uh, traumatic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-19
Updated: 2017-05-19
Packaged: 2018-10-27 21:50:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10817454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MioyatThePineapple/pseuds/MioyatThePineapple
Summary: Robin visits Ylisstol one year following a tragic accident. Takes place during the two year time-skip. AU.(originally written as a one-shot but it got really long. Also I stole the title from one of my favorite Vocaloid songs)





	Proof of Life

**Author's Note:**

> HAHA SO I ACCIDENTALLY PUBLISHED THIS WITHOUT NOTICING THE FIRST TIME I WORKED ON THIS (and then I deleted it) SO IF THIS SEEMS A BIT FAMILIAR TO A FEW OF YOU THAT'S WHY
> 
> *cough* anyways
> 
> First time writing a serious story, feedback is greatly appreciated :)

_“Chrom.”_

_“Yes?” Chrom stopped walking and turned to Robin, who stood several paces behind, staring at the floor. The expression on the tactician’s face was alarmingly serious._

_“If I disappeared tomorrow…would anyone miss me?”_

_At that, Chrom stiffened. He immediately grabbed Robin’s hands, who froze, startled, and demanded, “What’s wrong?”_

_“Eh-?” Robin blinked before half-smiling. “Nothing’s wrong, Chrom. I just…” his voice trailed off as his smile slowly dropped away. “I was just thinking…”_

_“About what?” Chrom’s brows furrowed. “Listen to me, Robin. You’re one of my most valuable soldiers and- and one of my best friends. Everyone in the Shepherds cares about you. I’ve never seen Maribelle warm up to anyone as quickly as you, you’re one of the only people Lissa never complains about, and even Frederick trusts you! You’re important to me- to all of us.” He swallowed. “So please. If there’s anything bothering you, tell us.”_

_“Chrom, it’s not what you think,” Robin insisted, frowning. “I was just thinking about…my past.”_

_“Your past?” Chrom echoed. Robin looked away uncomfortably and tugged against Chrom’s grip._

_“Well, I just thought…there had to have been someone who knew me before I lost my memories, right?” His hands twitched and his voice lowered. “But…nobody went looking for me. And at first I thought that someone did, and they just hadn’t found me, but you’re a_ prince, _and we fought_ Gangrel _, and…” Robin sighed. “Either I wasn’t important enough for someone to notice or I wasn’t important enough to care.”_

_“Robin-“_

_“And I just thought about-about Emmeryn, and,” Robin swallowed. His voice began rising. “She changed so many people’s lives, Chrom. She did_ more _than just die when she sacrificed herself. She ended a war, she saved families, she saved_ two nations- _“_

_“_ Robin- _“_

_“If she randomly disappeared one day, that would’ve changed so many people’s lives. She mattered, Chrom, there was- there was proof that she_ existed, _proof that she_ lived _, and that her life made a_ difference _-“_

_“_ ROBIN! _” Chrom shouted, and Robin flinched, ripping his hands out of Chrom’s grasp. Chrom grabbed his right hand, holding it gently, and said in a quiet voice, “Listen, Robin. I don’t know why nobody went looking for you after you lost your memory. Maybe you didn’t matter very much to the people you used to know. But,” Chrom continued when he saw Robin raise an eyebrow, “But you matter a lot to- to the Shepherds. Which includes me.” Determined blue eyes met surprised brown ones. “Trust me, Robin. If you disappeared tomorrow, nothing in the world could stop me from finding you.” He hesitated. “There’s plenty of proof that you existed,” he murmured, body slackening. “You’ve made a difference in my life- in all of our lives, Robin. I couldn’t imagine a world without you.”_

_His words were met with wide-eyed silence. Chrom cleared his throat awkwardly and released Robin’s hand._

_“So…uh. Yeah. That’s your proof of life, right there.”_

_Robin looked down. His shoulders began to tremble, and then shake. Chrom’s eyes widened._

_“Robin, are you okay? Naga, if I made you cry-“ he panicked, which only made Robin double over. And then Chrom realized that Robin was laughing._

_“You,” Robin snickered, pointing at Chrom, “are the most over-dramatic man alive.”_

_“I am not!” Chrom protested, feeling his face heat up, but unable to stop a smile all the same._

_“You are!” Robin’s voice deepened in a teasing imitation of Chrom. “Nothing in the world could stop me from finding you, Robin. I couldn’t imagine a world without you in it.” He snorted._

_“Yeah, well,” Chrom struggled. “It’s the truth! IF you disappeared…” Now it was Chrom’s turn to look at the ground, constantly clenching and unclenching his fists. “…honestly, I don’t know what I would do.”_

_Robin’s eyes softened. He stepped forwards Chrom and reached towards his face, only to awkwardly pat Chrom on the shoulder. “Hey,” he said softly, with a small smile. “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere.”_

 

* * *

 

Ylisstol seems less busy than usual today.

There are few people out, though most of the stores seem closed anyways. An unusually solemn atmosphere hangs in the air; despite this, the sky looks bluer than it’s ever been, and I don’t see a single cloud in the sky.

Has it really been a year? I haven’t seen much of the capitol yet, but I swear that everything looks exactly the same as when I left. For a brief moment, I’m terrified that Chrom was lying when we spoke all that time ago: that I really didn’t matter at all, and that the world left me behind without a care. Quickly I dismiss the thought, because I’m determined to believe that my friends remembered me, at least. But the fear lingers.

Nobody in the small amount of people pays me any mind as I continue towards the castle. I pay them no mind in return. I’ve only got a day, after all, and I’m going to use it to visit as many people as I can.

As I round the corner I wonder absently how everyone’s doing. How much has everyone changed? I hope they didn’t get too sad when I left. I don’t want my last memories of them to be full of tears; I’d rather spend today laughing and smiling with them while we remember the good times we had together. That’d be nice.

The first place I reach is the Pegasus stables, which are exactly where I remember them being. I see a wide, sprawling pasture with pegasi galloping about and a few people taking care of the ones in the stables. Quickly I scan for the person I was looking for and find her tenderly brushing the mane of her own Pegasus.

Sumia gives no indication that she sees or even notices me, even as I walk up to and stand right beside her. There’s a moment of awkward silence as I struggle to think of what to say- awkward for me, at least. Sumia continues humming and brushing her Pegasus while I stand, overwhelmed.

“Hey,” I finally manage, and I wince slightly at how my voice breaks. For a moment, Sumia pauses. A burst of hope flutters in my chest, only to quickly die as she plucks a stray hair from her Pegasus and continues.

It was stupid to think that’d she’d hear me. It was stupid to hope. I shake my head and cough sheepishly despite knowing that nobody else is watching.

 “…how’re you doing? Well, I hope?” There’s still no reply. In spite of that, or perhaps because, I get a rush of emotion I can’t quite identify. My chest tightens, my throat closes up, and my breathing gets shaky. “I-I missed you, you know. I missed e-everyone.” I force myself to take a breath before continuing. “I miss the way y-you always encouraged others and- and how you always tried your best even though you didn’t think you had much to give. I-“ I sniff. “I r-really admired you, and-“ It’s hard to see now. I wipe my eyes and laugh weakly. “S-Sorry. I’m rambling. I just…” I smile. “It’s just hard to believe I’m a-actually talking to you. T-to one of my best friends. I’ve missed you all so much…”

I’d tried preparing myself for this at least three hundred and sixty four times beforehand. I guess I underestimated just how overwhelmed I’d get at actually being able to see my friends one last time instead of just imagining it.

Sumia just keeps brushing her Pegasus while I bawl my eyes out pathetically next to her. Finally, when the tears stop flowing and I stop gasping for breath, I notice that Sumia isn’t taking care of her steed anymore. My eyes follow hers to the sky where Cordelia rides a Pegasus of her own.

“-you ready? The ceremony starts in a few hours, and Chrom wants everyone there before it starts.”

“Almost!” Sumia calls in reply. “I just need to put the finishing touches on Iris and then I’ll be there, fast as I can!”

_Ceremony?_

Cordelia nods. “I’ll tell Chrom.” A theory is forming in my mind, but my concentration is broken as she flies away. I stare at her for a few moments, doing nothing, before eventually running and chasing after her.

 

* * *

  _It was a few weeks after the defeat of Gangrel and the surrender of Plegia, in the late afternoon. Chrom had finally been allowed a day off from the grueling activities of the court, given that it was his birthday, and Robin had rescued him from the stuffy party thrown in his honor to show him something he had discovered. After a long trek across the plains and through a mountain pass, the two came to a wide, secluded valley with patches of dead grass scattered about._

_“…alright, it’s nice and peaceful over here,” Chrom conceded, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow at Robin. “But I still don’t entirely see the point of coming all the way here just to see dead plants.”_

_“In a moment,” Robin replied, glancing up at the sun. He grabbed Chrom’s arm and squeezed tightly, muttering, “If I’m right, it should happen in three…two…one…”_

_The last rays of the sun crested the tops of the mountains. They struck the ground all around the two, and suddenly what had seemed like dry and withered grass twitched and then burst into bloom, exploding into golden blossoms that seemed to glow in the light of the dying sun, painting the surrounding grey stone into warm hues of yellow and gold._

_“Well? Was this worth it?” Robin grinned at a stunned Chrom who stood with his eyes wide and mouth half-open._

_“Wow,” Chrom managed to finally say, and Robin let out a laugh. Basking in the golden light of the flowers, he himself also seemed to be glowing._

_“If you think that’s cool, watch this!” Pulling an Elwind tome from his cloak, the excited tactician summoned a wind into the valley that scattered flower petals all around the two. They came down in a cascade of gold, gliding around and around them like drops of sunlight. Slowly and carefully, Robin picked up several flowers that had fallen to the ground and gently stuck them into his amazed prince’s hair._

_“It almost looks like a crown,” he teased._

_“Uh…” Chrom swallowed and absentmindedly rubbed the flowers in his hair. “Gee, Robin…”_

_“What? Was it not worth coming here?”_

_“No, I just…” He glanced at Robin, whose smile had faded a bit. “This just, uh,” he coughed. “It reminds me of a story Emm used to read to Lissa and me when we were younger…about a knight who traveled the world to bring a prince a magic flower, or something…”_

_“I’ve read that one,” Robin noted. “Doesn't the prince end up dying at the end?”_

_At that, a tiny smile flickered onto Chrom’s face. “Well, it’s the thought that counts.”_

_His voice trailed off, and the two were left standing in silence. Robin smiled as he stared at Chrom. A few peaceful moments passed before the ground suddenly shook violently with a large booming noise._

_“What was-“ Robin began, looking in the direction of the noise before being cut off by another large boom. He lost his balance and nearly fell over, but Chrom caught him._

_“Careful,” Chrom said, turning where the sound had come from as well and steadying Robin. “And I'm not sure.” All traces of calm had vanished from his face, replaced by a look of concern. “We should investigate.”_

_He turned to Robin, who nodded, brow furrowed. Unconsciously his hands brushed over the tomes he kept in his cloak, and as his fingers grazed the cover of Thoron he felt a cold chill go down his spine. “Let’s go.”_


End file.
